we're back now with more of "today" on a monday morning. it's the 10th day of december, 2012. the weather is starting to sock in a little bit here in new york. >> the weather is start iing to suck. i agree. >> we can actually hear you. you're not speaking in your head. >> out on the plaza, along with potty mouth, i'm matt lauer, al roker and willie geist. can we stop for one second? we did something not together but the same thing on saturday night. go ahead. >> stones. stones in brooklyn. >> they were unbelievable on

saturday night. >> i'm seeing them saturday. >> are you? >> yeah. >> it's a fantastic, fantastic show. >> people keep saying they're too old to do it. they're not. mick is flying around the stage like he's 20 years old. >> classic sopgngs. it's like tuning into a classic rock station. these are the questions that dog us. if you're traveling on an airplane, who gets the arm rest? the person in the middle gets both arm rests? >> no. >> no. >> that's an important one. what do you do about the kid who is kicking the back of your seat? how do you address that one? >> you turn around and you ask the parent please keep your kid from kicking the seat. >> that's one way of handling it. >> then if he keeps doing it? >> then you kick the parent. >> you ask the stewardess. sparkly and shiny, big

fashion tips straight ahead. for folks who have college-age kids or getting ready to go to college the deadline is fast approaching. we'll give you important advice of how to get your high schooler ready to put his best foot forward as far as college applications. let's go inside. natalie is standing by with a look at the headlines. good morning, natalie. good morning, everyone. daring rescue operation in afghanistan has left a navy s.e.a.l. dead. part of a rescue operation to free an american doctor abducted by the taliban. dr. dilip joseph had been taken five days ago by the taliban. the operation was launched when intelligence showed that joseph was in imminent danger of injury or death. partisan effort to solve the fiscal cliff, president obama and john boehner met sunday to discuss the issue. republicans and democrats have been deadlocked how to prevent tax hikes and spending cuts set

to kick in with the new year. the details of the conversation are being kept under wraps but both are saying the lines of communication are open. the two deejays who pranked the hospital treating the duchess of cambridge last week now has had their show canceled. a nurse who was tricked by the hoax was found dead friday. the deejays who imperson ated queen elizabeth and prince charles say they are heartbroken and sorry if they played any role in the nurse's death. mexican-american singing sensation jenni rivera was killed sunday when her plane cra crashed shortly after takeoff from monterey, mexico. all seven people were killed in the crash. a 43-year-old california native had sold more than 23 million records and was one of the biggest stars on mexican television. south korean gangnam style singer psy did appear at last night's christmas in washington

concert. under mountin pressure he apologized friday after it was revealed that he used anti-american language during concerts in 2002 and 2004. snow plows worked through the night to clear roads in minneapolis-st. paul where a thunder -- a sunday storm, rather, dumped more than a foot of snow, the region's heaviest snowfall in two winters. airlines canceled more than 150 flights. blizzard conditions and icy roads slowed travel in parts of wisconsin and the dakotas. and it was a slow prechristmas weekend at the box office. james bond adventure "skyfall" took the number spot with $11 million in ticket sales, "rise of the guardians" was close behind at $10.5 million. and "twilight saga: breaking dawn part 2" fell to third. there's got to be a nicer way to share. oh!

just wrong. they both really like bananas. clearly. and if you have trouble believing in a jolly old man who delivers your gifts by sleigh, ken jones might be the right santa claus for you ♪ we're coming through despite the weather cinching your dogs let's work together leave your light on for your u.p.s. man ♪ >> the clip is going viral online. he wants his viewers to know that the video was shot on a scheduled break so nothing can delay the delivery of your presents. good voice. five minutes after the hour. let's go back outside to al. >> we'll have to see if fedex comes up with an answer to that. thanks so much, natalie. just a little while ago, cast of "les miserables" joining in the holiday spirit here at rockefeller center, collecting toys for our 90th annual toy drive, collecting gifts for 200

charities. thank you for joining us. where are you donating to our toy drive? >> as moms we understand fashion and function have to meet. all of our products are innovative in design, bright colors, bold prints. we thought they would be perfect for women and children all over the country. >> that's awfully nice. we thank you for that. we've got a bunch of folks doing this, a new company doing this. how did you get started? >> absolutely. we are so excited to be a fresh face for the "today" show with a toy and gift drive. we have partnered with thousands of our independent creative partners, our consultants nationwide, many of which have joined us here today. we are so excited to be sharing our core philosophy of there's only one you through our business opportunity for heidi u very much for joining us. >> thank you. snow has moved through

minneapolis, dumped up a foot of snow. the southern part of this system is bringing rain and thunderstorms. we have tornado watches in effect until 10:00 am central standard time. and a risk of strong storms from meridian through chattanooga. rainfall amounts anywhere from 3 >> good morning. we will start out with some thick fog. a cold front will move through this afternoon.

now to "today's" take three where the three of us -- actually, there's four of us. >> a long weekend. >> whatever is in there. >> i saw the stones. i sure did. >> all right. let's try this again. the four of us will take on the stories that you are talking about. our first take, you win some, you lose some. there was a big fight in las vegas saturday night, manny pacquiao against juan manuel marquez. who showed up at the fight but mitt and ann romney, ring-side seats. there's governor romney, laughing it up ringside. he actually visited the dressing room of manny pacquiao before the fight. according to pacquiao's publicist governor romney said, quote, hi, manny. i ran for president. i lost. it was tense for a moment. but then i guess he laughed and the dressing room exploded into laughter. >> still worked out well for manny. >> it's funny you say that.

manny was knocked out in the sixth round. i think we have the reaction from mitt romney as pacquiao lay face down. >> that's the same face he saw when fox called ohio. >> ow! >> actually interesting. i didn't know he is a congressman in the philippines, a boxer and a congressman and apparently wants to run for president. >> exactly. >> a lot to talk about. >> trading some political -- yeah. >> he was face down on the c canvas, too, saturday night. met with manny pacquiao. we've seen mitt romney, riding a roller coaster at disneyland, pumping gas at costco. life after the election. >> everywhere he goes, they'll snap a picture. >> that's the beauty of these vegas fights, they bring mitt romney, who was seated near fifty cent. >> fifty. >> new messages to get your attention. let's be honest a lot of us tune

out. here is what they're doing at delta. >> okay. carry on items are securely stowed in a carry-on bin and place smaller items under the seat in front of you and ensure all aisles, exits are clear. ensure that your electronic devices are turned off. if you're seated at an emergency exit, please review the responsibilities for emergency exit seating on the back of your safety information card which is in your seat pocket. are you willing and able to assist with the operation of the exit if necessary? >> yes. >> not really. >> if you are unable to perform these functions, please let us know and we'll be happy to find you another seat. >> hey. >> hey. >> please take a moment to find the exits closest to you. and, remember, they might be behind you. >> pay attention. >> i saw this when we went down to atlanta for thanksgiving. and everybody in the plane was

laughing. and you're paying attention to it. >> they actually did this -- they were the first to do this a couple of years ago. they rolled out -- sort of add ed a little humor to that. people do actually pay attention. >> there's eight versions of this. you get to see different ones. for those of us who are fans of the flight attendant who goes, smoking is not allowed -- >> cat. her name is cat. >> she makes a cameo. >> that was my first question, what about the red headed lady? >> i interviewed her a couple of years ago when delta started with that whole campaign. >> i'm not sure it's as good as the one richard simmons did. >> missed that one. >> still trying to get that one out of my head. >> trust me, it's a great one. let's get to our take three. this is person. eau de peeizza hut. in canada only but it's going to get so pap popular, it will be

everywhere. it started as a gag. what kind of perfume would you like to smell? it got so many likes that they crea created the eau de parfum that smells like pizza. >> is this one of these pranks? >> no. >> whenever they say that, don't do it. >> put on a blindfold. >> do we have the perfume? >> we do. can't see anything, right, guys? >> can't see anything. >> the question here is is it the pizza or is it the perfume? >> she has a whole plan. >> all right. we've sprayed. now we don't know what we're doing first. >> okay. is it pizza or is it perfume? >> i'm getting perfume. >> okay. what about you, al? >> that's perfume. >> okay. well, you guys were both 100%

wrong. >> really? >> yes. >> can we smell the perfume now? >> there's the perfume. >> you can take the blindfold off now. >> i'm going to continue to wear it, actually. >> okay. that's the perfume. >> do you want me to dab some on you -- >> no, no, i'm good. >> i'm intolerant. >> notes of pepperoni. >> i do smell dough. >> thick crust or thin crust? >> definitely thicker crust. >> i smell stocking stuffer. >> it comes in this cute little box. >> definitely lower calorie. >> you can satisfy your hunger with that. handling the hassles of holiday travel, after this. [ female announcer ] why settle for plain bread?

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but i'm still stubbed up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't unstuff your nose. what? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus liquid gels speeds relief to your worst cold symptoms plus has a decongestant for your stuffy nose. thanks. that's the cold truth! thanks. he is a good little monkey and always very curious. one day george got an important letter. he's built a rocket ship to travel into space." google, how far is earth to the moon? the moon is 238,900 miles... "the great moment had come." 3, 2, 1... [ giggling ]

>> announcer: "today's" travel is brought to you by the venture card from capital one. earn miles you can actually use. anyone who has spent a long flight feeling the pitter patter of feet on the back of their seat, nila from "travel & leisure." great to see you. >> you, too. >> middle arm rests, your sitting in the middle row. who gets the two? >> the middle person should get those two. >> always? >> we've all been stuck there. it's a nightmare seat. karmaically, they should get both the arm rests. >> i think it's a power for

struggle. i lean in a little bit. the cart hits me. i start to move in a little on that guy. >> it's a death match for you? >> it is. >> i think if you're going to do that to establish the front and the back of the arm rest. >> oh, yeah. >> someone gets the front, someone gets the back. everyone's happy. >> but general rule is the middle guy gets both arm rests? >> throw them a bone. it's tough to travel in the midd middle. >> next one noisy hotel neighbors, tv is on full blast in the room next to you. you can't sleep. how do you handle it? >> do not take mae matters in your own hands. don't knock on their door. you don't know what's going to happen when you do that. great idea, we asked a lot of hoteliers. call the front desk. ask for the manager on duty. that person will get to the bottom of it. now if you -- if people are -- don't realize that they're being noisy is one thing. and so i feel like i would give them a break. if they are just being out and out, having a party, call downstairs. >> in what way would people not realize they're being noisy?

>> they don't realize that noise travels in hotel rooms when they're having some time. >> intimacy? >> well, you went there. >> the question is, do you let it go in that case? you can't interrupt that, can you? >> i think it depends how much sleep you need to get. the best idea is to call the front desk and have them handle it. if they say that they go there and it's still noisy, then you might want to consider changing your room. they won't move them. >> they will move you to a different room. >> you might want to pack ear plug plugs as well. >> next one is a big one if you're visiting new york city, as a lot of people are around this time of year. cab driver is driving like a maniac. what do you do? >> since i live here, my first t tact is to say, sir, i'm not in a rush at all. it tends to work. if that doesn't work the best idea is to call the cab driver to pull over, get out. you can't stiff them their fare. you have an option of not paying a tip and also to report them using their medallion number. >> taxi drivers presume you want

to get as fast as you can go. >> exactly. >> i don't like to send stuff back unless it's really bad, unless i can't drink it. >> they're there to make sure you're happy and recommend that restaurant to your friends and you come back. bottle of wine is the least of their problems. if you don't like it, they're not going to be happy and you're not going to be happy. send it back. this column we do in the magazine called trip doctor and they said go ahead, send it back. the only thing is, don't drink half of it before you send it back. that's badd etiquette. >> that is bad form. back to the airplane, there is a kid kicking your seat. >> you have kids. how do you handle your kids? >> i'm the parent. i make them stop immediately. but there are a lot of parents who stop them right away.

>> if the parent is handling it, you have to give them the benefit of the doubt. if they're not handling it, you talk to them in your calmest voice, i know it's a long fli t flight. can you keep johnny from kicking? if you don't want to do that, call the flight attendant. >> if you're the parent of the kicking kid, put them on your lap and hold them. that would be my advice. >> that's a good idea. >> remind me not to get a hotel room next to you. >> never. never going to happen. still to come, medical questions answered. first, these messages. the boys use capital one venture miles for their annual football trip. that's double miles you can actually use. tragically, their buddy got sacked by blackouts. but it's our tradition! that's roughing the card holder. but with the capital one venture card you get double miles you can actually use. [ cheering ] any flight, anytime. the scoreboard doesn't lie. what's in your wallet? hut! i have me on my fantasy team.

well, inside the brewer, there's a giant staircase. and the room is filled with all these different kinds of coffee. actually, i just press this button. brew what you love, simply. keur. vo: for cold and flu season, honey, don't use your sleeve. there's clorox bleach.

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it's amazing what soup can do can your moisturizer do that? [ female announcer ] dermatologist recommended aveeno has an oat formula, now proven to build a moisture reserve, so skin can replenish itself. that's healthy skin for life. only from aveeno. sure, bisquick makes delicious pancakes, but that's just the start. unleash the hidden power of bisquick. see what you can make at bisquick.com. everything that's in their products. but sc johnson isn't just a company. we're a family who cares about yours. that's why we're working to share all of our ingredients, right down to the fragrances and dyes. so with products like windex, you know what you're bringing into your home. going beyond the industry standard -- that's the family standard. ♪

still ahead hollywood celebrity style looks for less. >> after your local news and weather. ♪ [ female announcer ] let betty crocker do the measuring and get a head start on delicious homemade cookies. ♪ just pour, mix...love.

>> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. it should be a mild day. after starting and in the 40's, we will be in the 60's. chance for a couple of showers as we head through the morning and afternoon, and a rumble of thunder is possible. thunder is possible.

experts in aroma. they're the world championship cheese judges. [ air horn blowing ] and while they might seem kind of odd to you -- like this guy -- we just love them.

and at the 2012 championship, they awarded cracker barrel gold for cheddar for its rich, full flavor. thanks cheese geniuses. cracker barrel. it's cheddar, perfected. ♪ you make me feel like i've been locked out of heaven for too long for too long ♪ >> just love bruno mars. you're seeing singer bruno mars. that's his song "locked out of heaven." his new cd drops tomorrow. the grammy winning artist will perform in our studios live tomorrow on "today." >> wants to be locked out of heaven. >> too long of a conversation. meanwhile, i'm natalie morales with al roker, willie

geist. >> a special event to tell you about tomorrow. for the first time we're showcasing our holiday window. >> creating a window for us with a "today" show theme right across the street at the nbc experience store. and we will have that big reveal tomorrow on "today." >> they're going to get rid of the candy? >> no! >> i guess so. our faces are going to go over the candy, i guess. >> you like -- >> i do. i do. they're artistic and creative during the holidays. it will be interesting to see what they do with each of our mugs. before you head out to your next holiday party, how to dress like your favorite celebrity but for a whole lot less. from the flu shot to your migraines, we'll answer your most pressing medical questions. it is crunch time as many parents know. college applications almost due. we've got some advice on how to make your high schooler stand out. >> but first throughout the morning we've been capturing candid moments in our backstage

holiday photo booth. there's natalie with amanda seyfried and the kids and folks from "les michlts." that's nice. whether it's festive, funny or even embarrassing. that's a perfect gift. >> love that. submit your picture at today.com. >> that was great! >> using the #holidaypicstoday. we'll share some of your photos on air and online throughout the holidays. >> that is perfect. >> that's great. >> that is a good one. we love that. >> we have that car, too. that's very familiar to a lot of parents, right? >> everybody. >> how about a quick check of the weather? all righty. we want to show you what you've got going, first of all, starting with an early week. above normal temperatures in the east. above normal out west, below normal in the central part of the country. as we get to the midweek period,

those temperatures move along the eastern seaboard, looking at warmer weather building in the west, with rain along the west coast. latter part of the week stays warm throughout much of the midsection of the country. normal along the east coast but wet in the southwest with snow in the rockies moving into the >> good morning. we will start out with some thick fog and some drizzle. it will be mild with a high >> and that's your latest weather. >> all right, al. thanks. coming up next, celebrity-inspired looks for the holidays, right after this. olay total effects in 2001.

since then, there's been one wedding, 2 kids, and 43 bottles of olay total effects. so in spite of 185 tantrums 378 pre-dawn starts and a lot of birthdays, caroline still looks amazing. you can challenge what's possible thanks to the trusted performance of olay. 60 years, millions of women, real results.

so i mix together a packet of hidden valley ranch, 1 box of spinach, and 16 ounces of sour cream, and tonight everyone gets a taste of something special... ranch spinach dip. [ male announcer ] hidden valley ranch. mix it up. [ ding! ] losing your chex mix too easily? time to deploy the boring-popcorn decoy bucket. then no one will want to steal the deliciousness. with a variety of tastes and textures only chex mix is a bag of interesting.

♪ ♪ the not so pretty truth about their body washes. i wouldn't change. [ female announcer ] this test paper was designed to react like your skin. if other body washes can strip this paper, imagine how harsh they can be to your skin. oh my gosh. [ female announcer ] new dove is different. its new breakthrough formula changes everything with the blend of gentle cleansers and nourishing nutrium moisture. so what do you think now? definitely switching to dove. [ female announcer ] this is new. this is different. this is care.

♪ spread a little love my way ♪ spread a little something to remember ♪ ♪ spread a little joy and see ♪ need a little happiness to be ♪ ♪ living the life with me [ female announcer ] philadelphia cream cheese. made with fresh milk and real cream. it makes your holiday recipes, everyone's holiday favorites. ♪ >> announcer: "today's" holiday is brought to you by m & m's. she is here with celeb-inspired holiday looks for less. kate, good morning. >> good morning to you. >> we can draw inspiration from these celebrities.

we don't have to spend a lot of money these days? >> exactly. there are great options that are not quite that expensive. >> kind of shop the look. let's look at this photo of gabrielle union, a gorgeous actress. you see it's a modern take on the little black dress. >> this silhouette is so big this season, the strapless dress. it's such a fun look for any party. and we're big fans of gabrielle union. >> she looks great. >> she does. >> let's bring out our model tricia. >> people look at the dress she's wearing. tell me about this. >> kind of your naughty and nice dress. you have this sexy bustier on top but it's offset by this feminine detail. i don't know if you see there's a shimmery gold underneath. isn't it gorgeous? this is simply vera, vera wang from kohl's. >> i imagine it's so figure flattering as well. >> exactly. it really highlights, gets you at your smallest point, your waste. she's got great shoes on as

well. >> exactly. i love her earrings for $32. >> head to toe, you look gorgeous. thanks so much, tricia. the next look is inspired by a dress worn by charlize theron at the mtv moiv awards. peplin seems to be so hot right now. >> such a big trend, from peplin to that red. it's always on trend for the holiday it's extra on trend right now. >> wearing this dress for a lot less. >> this is amazing from boohoo.com. it is $40. we've got all that same detail, the peplem, the hot red color. such a super flattering shade. >> it hides a lot. >> gives you that real hourglass shape. >> and those shoes are gorgeous on her as well. i love them. >> you look great.

thank you so much. next blake lively is wearing a beautiful sparkly dress. take a look at this. >> she looks amazing. >> gorgeous. >> sequins. >> sequins, which is always so much fun for holiday. but also this color is really hot, this deep er -- >> i don't know where they get that from but here is lauren wearing this inspired dress. >> if you're truly acting like a celebrity on this one. this is from rent the runway, premiere destination for renting party dresses. you wear it once, you send it back. you can rent it for $85. >> beautiful dress. >> isn't it? >> thank you so much, lauren. finally, kate bosworth wore a gorgeous balantino lace dress at a movie premiere as well. >> exactly. >> you found such a classic, very similar. >> exactly. lace dresses are so classic right now. this is from ax for $128. it's navy, which is even --

>> beautiful. >> -- chiccer at the moment. i love that it has a sleeve. sometimes you don't want to be so bare when it's cold out. >> and she looks just gorgeous in it. all our models come on out. one last look here. thank you, ladies. good job. i think you found some great looks there. >> they all look so glamorous. we'll answer your health questions after this. ow! so you think santa will like these... red and green m&m's? i don't know! i never met the guy!

whaaaaa! he does exist! they do exist! uhm... santa? i just finished a bowl of your new light chicken pot pie soup and it's so rich and creamy... is it really 100 calories? let me put you on webcan... ...lean roasted chicken... and a creamy broth mmm i can still see you. [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. i get congested. but now, with zyrtec-d®,

i have the proven allergy relief of zyrtec®, plus a powerful decongestant. zyrtec-d® lets me breath freer, so i can love the air. [ male announcer ] zyrtec-d®. behind the pharmacy counter. no prescription needed. [ male announcer ] zyrtec-d®. behind the pharmacy counter. he is a good little monkey and always very curious. one day george got an important letter. he's built a rocket ship to travel into space." google, how far is earth to the moon? the moon is 238,900 miles... "the great moment had come." 3, 2, 1... [ giggling ] until they see this. the oral-b pro-health clinical brush. its pro-flex sides adjust to teeth and gums for a better clean. the pro-health clinical brush from oral-b. for a better clean. hey buddy, i bet mom would love this, huh? jack?

jaaack? jaaack?! jack?! looks good ladies! jack! come on, stop the car. jack! no, no, no, no, no! the only thing more surprising than finding the perfect gifts.. niice. ...is where you find them. how did you know? i had a little help. this is how to gift. this is sears.

this morning on "today's" health, the doctor is in. you sent us your medical questions and we've answered them. dr. keri, good to see you. >> good morning, willie. >> from tampa, he asks, i caught the flu on thanksgiving day and i am just recovering. should i still get a flu shot or is it too late? >> he absolutely should get a flu shot. you may be thinking i just had the flu. why should i get a flu shot? there are other circulating strains he has to protect himself against. it's not too late. flu season peaks in january and february. getting it now, you'll still be protected. good news is that what we're seeing go around, 90% of the currently circulating strains are in this year's vaccine. >> this flu season we've heard is worse than year's past, perhaps, particularly bad one. what else can people do to prevent this from coming on? >> wash your hands regularly.

get your flu shot. if you do have the flu take protective measures by covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze. >> meg in columbia, maryland, with our next question. i'm 32, had my first baby 10 months ago. ever since i've started wheezing and coughing, specifically in the evenings. this nearly happens every evening. what could cause this and what can i do? >> there are a lot of things that can cause coughing and wheezing but in this particular scenario two things come to mind that are more likely. indoor allergies causing an asthma like reaction. a lot of environmental allergens, where she spends her evenings, she may be getting exposed to dust, mold, pet dander. >> is this a common thing for pregnant women? >> it's not necessarily because of the pregnancy, but in your 30s this is a time of life you can develop allergies or it may be that her environment has changed because she had a baby. >> unrelated to the pregnancy. ton of e-mails about migraines and what may be causing them.

everything from drinking red wine to too much exercise. what are sort of the facts and myths about migraines? >> sure. these are definitely triggers for migraines, likely caused by dilation of the blood vessels in the brain and releases chemicals in the vessels of the brain that cause pain. for some people there are a lot of factors that can trigger migraines. there are some we can control, such as things in your diet, including skipping meals, msg or alcohol. there are other things such as physical changes, be it stress, anxiety or over exercising. sleep pattern changes like oversleeping or undersleeping. these are things we can control and things we can't necessarily control are your menstrual cycle and things in the environment like smoke or perfumes. most important thing is that each person needs to identify what their triggers are so that they can potentially avoid them. to do that i recommend keeping a headache diary. the easiest way to do that, there's apps available on smart phones.

my migraine triggers, an easy way to track your triggers and it puts them in a chart or graph so you can show your doctor at the visit. >> that's a good idea. our research shows whenever we talk about bowels, the ratings go through the roof. >> oh, really? >> from elizabeth in new york, this final question. she asks what are the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome? how do i know if i have it? >> it's so common in women and it's caused by a malfunction of the nerves that control the contraction of the intestines and you get bloating, gas and diarrhea for at least three days of the month. there's not necessarily tests to check for it. it's based on your clinical history which is usually diarrhea or constipation or alt alternation between the two. ruling out other symptoms like celiac. >> the most important thing to

do if you have ibf? >> take fiber. if it's constipation it's fiber, hydrating regularly. if it's diarrhea, it's also fiber but you can use anti-spasmodics as well. >> so glad we had this talk about bowels. >> great way to start the morning. >> dr. keri peterson, thank you. how do you help your kid stand out when he or she is how do you help your kid stand out when he or she is applying for college? c

we're here! [ giggling ] these days, nobody has time to get sick.

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before kids press that send button we have some tips. it has become more selective to get into college. >> it flies in the face of conventional wisdom. forget about being well rounded. >> right. colleges are looking to create well rounded student bodies made up of angular students or specialists. they would rather see a student who has been involved in three or four activities over time than nine or ten activities. >> so less is more? >> well, fewer activities is more going more deeply into them. if you've only been doing something less than half an hour per week or you stop doing it in ninth grade, and it doesn't define who you are, don't put it on the application at all. you're going to appear like a jack of all trades, master of none. or what i like to call a serial joiner. >> so go with your strength there? >> exactly. list them in order of importance. >> also, you say personal essay. how important is that? >> it's really important. your opportunity to let an admissions committee get to know

you. you can make sure that your authentic voice shines through. you want to write about one topic or one issue that an admission's committee cannot learn from the rest of your application. >> something that defines you? >> right. why are you a vegetarian? everything you learned ball room dancing with your grandmother. about make sure you are not redundant on your application. if it's about being the capitta of the soccer team make sure your personal essay is not about scoring that winning goal. >> common app isn't so common. >> it's accepted by 488 colleges nationwide. many of those colleges have school-specific supplements which require extra essays. a lot of kids don't know those supplemental essays can be the deal maker ordeal breaker in your admissions and often used to show demonstrated interests. usually you get the question why do you want to go to this school?

you want to make sure you're tailoring those essays to each school. detail about courses, professors, very specific things so you're making sure that application is tailored. >> you also say you should be able -- all these kids are tweeting anyway, for certain questions a short tweet-like answer is best? >> we've seen more colleges add what they call short takes. those are questions that require one line or maybe one-word responses. the mistake that students make is they're not so thoughtful about them. they're rushing through them. make sure these are personalized. for example, usc asks the question, what's the greatest invention of all time? if you answer the computer or the internet, that's not really going to distinguish you. >> right. >> i worked with a student who is a photographer and she wrote the original form of photography, and history kid i worked with said the greatest invention of all time was the invention of time itself. >> uh-huh. how do you know the invention of

time? this follows -- follow directions and be really careful about your spelling and your grammar. >> absolutely. if you can have an english teacher proofread every written response before you press the send button, that's the best idea. make sure you're answering the question. don't send in too much, too little. and make sure you stay within those word counts. also with spell check, spell check is not going to catch your black belt in marital arts when you mean martial arts. and i once read an essay about a student who said she enjoyed torturing little kids three times a week when she meant tutoring. >> a lot of great advice. mail order food gifts just in time for christmas. have a great day. kathie lee and hoda are coming a

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